Web Desk: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has ordered Adiala Jail authorities not to keep former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi in solitary confinement, while directing officials to ensure their rights under prison regulations.
Justice Khadim Hussain Somroo issued the ruling on Tuesday while disposing of petitions challenging the alleged solitary confinement of Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi in Adiala Jail.
The petitions were filed by Aleema Khanum on behalf of Imran Khan and Mubashra Khawar Maneka, the daughter of Bushra Bibi, seeking legal intervention against their alleged isolation in prison.
Under the IHC order, the Adiala Jail superintendent has been directed to ensure that both prisoners are not confined separately and to facilitate meetings between Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi.
The court also instructed jail authorities to allow Imran Khan’s family meetings in accordance with prison rules and provide him with telephone access to speak with his sons.
The IHC, however, stated that the telephone facility could be withdrawn if recordings of his conversations with his sons were used for political purposes.
The court further ordered the Adiala Jail administration to provide Imran Khan with newspapers and books on a daily basis and ensure that he receives medical care and other facilities according to jail regulations.
The high court held that the petitions were maintainable in light of earlier judicial precedents, including the Nusrat Bhutto case and rulings related to Begum Shamim Afridi.
The jail superintendent has been directed to implement the IHC’s instructions and submit a compliance report within 15 days.
Imran Khan has remained imprisoned since August 2023 after convictions in several cases. His Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party has repeatedly alleged that the cases against its founder are politically motivated.
The latest IHC decision on Imran Khan’s jail conditions comes amid continuing legal disputes over his detention and access to medical treatment.
Earlier, the Supreme Court had directed authorities on August 18 to shift Imran Khan to Shifa International Hospital for a medical examination. He was instead taken to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), with Information Minister Attaullah Tarar saying doctors from Shifa International Hospital were also available there.
PTI criticized the government over the decision, while authorities maintained that security considerations influenced the choice of hospital.
